


Paying for it

by sheankelor



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Family, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-23
Updated: 2015-07-23
Packaged: 2018-04-10 20:24:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4406288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sheankelor/pseuds/sheankelor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What does Severus have to do to pay for his Potions Mastery and how does that change events to come?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Paying for it

**Author's Note:**

> This bunny was started by Slytherin66. I am sorry I wasn't able to get the lemon drops in or the tutoring. Maybe if I opt to write a sequel I can fit those both in. ^-^
> 
> Not beta'ed, so if you see a troublesome mistake, please kindly let me know.

 

Tobias set a mug of tea down and slid it over towards Severus before pouring his own and sitting down across the table from his son. He nodded towards the parchment laying between them. "With those scores, you're planning on uni or whatever they have in your world?"

"Mastery. I want to, but I have to find the money to pay for it." Severus drank some of his tea, knowing his Dad had made it the way he liked. "I want to get my Mastery in Potions, but the Potions Guild doesn't like the apprentices working a different job."

"They pay you for your work then?"

Severus shook his head. "No."

"You don't get owt for nowt, son." Tobias clunked his cup down on the scarred table. "Unless they thinks your training includes the use of your skills."

"It's figured in, Dad, but I can't pay for him without working."

"What it is, you've got to find a position here in the Muggle world. Those Wizards don't pay attention to what is happening here." He frowned at the NEWT scores sitting between them. "Those don't cross over well, that was your Mum's problem. She couldn't get a job because she couldn't prove she had an education."

"I can show up through the end of primary." Severus' frown matched his father's.

"And that will get them after me for not making you finish your schooling." Sighing heavily, he tapped his fingers as he thought. "I'll post that school of yours and the Ministry as well and ask them how the scores can be used to prove that I sent you to school if the authorities come knocking. While I am at it, I will check into how you can get some credit showing that you can use to get a job."

"But I don't know all the information." Severus fell silent at his Dad's laughter.

"Most basic jobs don't require more than what you know, son, but they want proof that you learned more." Shaking his head at the nonsense of it all, he continued. "What is to happen is you are to find a job in the Wizarding world - nothing related to your Potions Master, and use a different name. Finally make good use of those middle names your Mum and I chose. Be Tobias William."

Severus smiled slightly at the sight of Dad mumbling under his breath. He knew what was being said, it was his dad's usual spiel about how he tried to convince Eileen not to include Tobias into Severus' name, that he only wanted William. That there was no reason to saddle the boy with two unwieldy monikers. And how Eileen had given the child both Tobias and William as his middle names, claiming it a compromise.

The muttering stopped and Tobias continued. "It'll have to be hard work – cleaning, ditch digging, or something others don't want to touch. You do that while I get your scores sorted out, and then you get a job in the Muggle World."

"Dad, maybe I should post them -" Severus was cut off.

"No, I am a Muggle and so I can make a stink about this. You can't." Leaning forwards he peered into eyes as dark as his. "See, if you do it might get back to that Master person and ruin your chances. If I do, I am just an ignorant Muggle who don't know no better. See. Let me do it."

"Yes, sir."

§§§§

Pushing the door a bit wider, Severus peered into the dim room. Every surface was covered in muck: walls, floor, ceiling, and counters.

"No magic can be used. We do not know what exploded or why. Uncle Alfred is in no state to tell us. Not a single house elf will step in here. Are you willing to take it on?"

The blonde turned a blue eye towards him, as if assessing his inclinations. Stepping into the room to study the muck closer, Severus nodded. "It will take at least two days, I can determine if it is more once I've started. It will cost you twenty galleons unless something surprising comes up. I will alert you to any price increases so you can decide if you want me to continue."

"Deal." She closed the door and gestured him towards a nearby room. "We can write out and sign the contract in here. Are you willing to start today?"

"I will have to get my supplies, but yes I can." Pulling out a pre-written scroll, one of Dad's suggestions, Severus filled in the amount, time allotted, and conditions. Signing it, he handed it over to the blonde. She read it, signed it, and passed it back to him.

"There you go, Mr William, I will let you get to work. While the contract is in place, you can Apparate in and out of this corridor." With that, she strolled out, leaving him to get started.

A quick trip home was made to gather a sprayer – one of the ones with a wand nozzle and tank, face shield mask, dragon hide gloves, scrappers, and basic cleaning agents – Muggle ones. Sealing up his robes, not the light coloured one Dad had suggested to help sell the "clean impression" but an old school robe, he put on the mask, filled the tank of the sprayer like Dad had shown him to do last night, and started in.

Just as Severus remembered Dad doing when he accompanied him on cleaning jobs, he started with the ceiling. _No use cleaning just to get it dirty again, son, so you start up high and let the mess fall down._ Spraying it down, he let the cleaning solution penetrate the dirt while he swept the loose mess off the walls. After twenty minutes, he used a long handled scrapper and peeled the muck off the ceiling. He repeated the steps with the walls, counters and floor.

Levitating the mass behind him, he took it outside to the old ash dump, stood way back, and cast. " _Evanesco."_

Putting as much finesse as he could behind the spell, he was pleased to see the rubbish pop away. _'Not a moment too soon either – it was about to explode.'_

Heading back into the room, he started on the second layer.

It was nearing dinner time before he left. The room needed a final strong scrub and some polishing and he would be finished.

Shedding the equipment, robes, and wellies on the back porch, he let himself in through the kitchen door only to be greeted by the smell of frying sausage. "You want me to make the mash?"

Tobias waved his spatula towards the stairs. "Nah, you go get scrubbed up and be back down in a minute."

It wasn't long before they were sitting at the table.

"You worked today I see." Tobias pushed the plate of greens closer to Severus as he broke the silence.

"Yes. The room reminds me of some of the ones you cleaned when I was little."

"Magic no help?"

"No. They hired me because they couldn't use magic on it." Severus loaded mash onto his plate, and then a few greens when Dad glared at him. "I'll finish up tomorrow. Any reply to your letters yet?"

Tobias shook his head. "Give it a few days. If I don't have an answer by next week then I will get mean."

Severus chuckled and then shook his head. "You know there is a group out there that does not like Muggles or anyone closely related to them. Be careful."

"Your Mum mentioned them to me before she left. I'll be careful."

§§§§

"This is far better than I thought it could be, Mr William."

Severus watched the blonde spin about slowly, taking in every nook and cranny of the room he had spent the better part of two days cleaning. Pulling out his contract scroll, he held it out to her. "If you will indicate your approval here, I will take payment, and be on my way."

"Of course." Taking the offered quill, she signed the parchment. "If you will follow me to my study I will get your money."

The extra five galleons bonus she included was carefully stored away with the rest of the money when he got home. Since that day he had been relatively busy. Two weeks into his new business, he was invited to clean an old room deep in the bowels of a mansion.

"Grandfather was a Potions Master. No one else in the family has an interest and we need the space." The squat man folded his arms, looking down his nose at Severus. "Do you know anything about potions, Mr William?"

"I have some knowledge. Enough not to blow things up while cleaning."

"Dispose of all the potion related things, sale them and make yourself a side profit, I don't care. Just don't leave them here." He opened the door and shooed Severus in. "Now, those shelves are to stay and nothing else. Not even this counter." He tapped the built in table situated in the centre of the room. "Magic can be used to levitate things, but not much else. Grandfather didn't like magic used in here and made it … dangerous to do more than the basics."

Looking around the dust choked room, Severus felt a tiny section of his heart cry out at the shape of the potions lab, the rest of it was cheering and curious what he might could keep. The potions brewing process hadn't changed that much over time.

"Are you willing to take this on?"

Severus pulled out a contract, filled in the details and offered if over for his signature.

As he carted cauldrons and stacked them near the door, Severus wondered if his employer knew just how many of these were solid gold, silver, and copper. _'I'm not telling, they will save me a bundle.'_ Once they were stacked, he levitated them out of the room and then sent them into the cellar at home. A few more trips had all but the shelves and the built in table there as well. He spent the next several hours scrubbing and examining how the built in was anchored.

That evening Tobias helped to arrange the furniture in the new potions lab and gave advice on how to move the built in.

§§§§

"Got'em" Tobias held out the long sheaves of parchment. "Why they can't use paper is beyond me, but I have your scores made to apply to the Muggle World."

Dropping them onto the table, he grinned. "Time to start applying to Muggle jobs and ask that master fellow about taking you in and training you up."

That was how Severus ended up working at the local fish and chip place. It only took three days of being face to face with customers for the management to put him in the kitchen. Even there he gritted his teeth and dealt with the dunderheads around him. Dad would never let him live it down if he didn't keep the job for at least a month.

Master Eccles agreed to accept him and they worked out a payment plan. Severus had enough for the first payment and most of the second. He still needed to gather enough galleons to pay for the last one, but he had two years to collect it.

Running a tired hand over his face, he shook the basket of chips to stop them from sticking together.

Mornings and early afternoons were spent at Master Eccles's place, listening to the man yell at everyone while attempting to work through the tasks given him. He spent the rest of the afternoon studying the material he needed to know for tomorrow, and then his evenings were spent here tending a fryer.

Dragging himself to the breakfast table, Severus stared deep into his tea cup wondering if he would have the energy to continue on.

"That's enough."

A plate plunked itself in front of his nose, and Severus blinked bleary eyes up at his dad trying to figure out when he fell back to sleep.

"I'm not going to have you blowing yourself up, or cooking yourself in a fryer. I didn't clean up my act and raise you just to see you kill yourself." Tobias set another plate on the table and dropped into a chair. "You any good with that fancy quill writing? Making it all legible and pretty."

Sitting up, Severus started in on the eggs. "I have good handwriting if I put effort into it."

Tobias nodded once. "I'll stop by fish and chip shop and let them know you are working out your notice now. When it is done, you will take up rewriting these old books over. An archivist I was talking to at lunch yesterday said they pay extra if it's written with a quill. Said they could tell if it wasn't."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Is it legal?"

Tobias answered it with a glare. "Does it matter?"

Severus shook his head. "As long as I am not arrested for forgery, then no it doesn't."

"Write it in the contract." Tobias smirked.

§§§§

It was during the first book Severus realized that he was copying books from the Wizarding World. He considered charging them in galleons, but opted not to let them know that he was a Wizard. It took almost a month to realize that he was copying someone's personal library, and that this person had extensive interests. History written far more interestingly than Binns taught it finally made sense. Transfigurations, complex ones, were attempted and understood. Runes, Arithmancy, Charms, and Magical Creatures were learned as he wrote. He considered magically copying the images from one book to the one that he was writing, but decided not to. They might be able to tell it was magic.

It was the Potions and Defence books that he made more than side notes in another notebook. No, those were copied a second time and shelved in his personal lab.

By time he finished, he did not need to think about writing neatly.

Settling at the kitchen table, he looked over at his dad. "It is done, and I have paid for my Mastery now. Thanks, Dad."

Tobias gave a small nod. "Now you need a nest egg for when you are waiting to get your feet under you. You have a reputation with this Mr Addams person and he can get you more writing jobs if you want, or you can check out _Madams' and Messieurs' Scents and Such_. One of the chaps on my shift was commenting on how they might be looking for some help in the back room mixing the scents."

His fork paused on the way to his mouth. "And you thought I would like that?"

"Better than frying fish and chips again. Can't hurt to check them out."

"I'll stop by on the way home."

§§§§

"This job isn't for the faint of heart or nose. The scents that make up our signature lines are not quite as pleasant in their original states." Alvis Marks leaned against the desk looking decidedly out of place in the office dressed in his lab coat with gloves and goggles sticking out of the pockets.

Severus studied the man before nodding. "I can handle rank and offensive odours."

"The lab is ran from four o'clock until midnight. If you are hired, you would be preparing ingredients until you show yourself worthy of more challenging tasks. You shall also be called upon to clean the place."

"Completely understandable and acceptable."

Alvis' eyebrow rose for a moment, showing his surprise. "Come back tomorrow wearing a white button up shirt, black trousers, and rubber soled closed shoes." Picking up a folder, he held it out. "And these papers filled in, Mr Snape."

Taking the folder, Severus shook the man's hand and left.

After a long day at Master Eccles's he made it home in time to clean up, change, study a bit, and then rush off to his new position.

Alvis Marks met him at the door and ushered him into the back, down two flights of stairs and into a brightly lit, well ventilated room. "Let's see what you know. Those plants need to be dealt with. I will show you once how to use the oil extractor, and you need to follow the written instructions to make the correct combinations."

Looking at the complicated set of tubes and wires, Severus wished for a simple cauldron.

§§§§

Three months later, Severus was positive that Marks was a Potions Master who was hiding in the Muggle World. His methodology and terms were too close to what he was learning from Master Eccles. In some ways, Severus was positive that Marks was Eccles superior. As tempting as it was, he never pulled out his potions knives nor mentioned cauldrons. He did, however, use the knowledge gained in the morning to help in the evening, and vis versa as well.

Rushing through the door a minute late – Eccles kept him long testing him – Severus flung the lab coat over the transfigured shirt. The smells from the potions lab clung to the material but he hoped it wouldn't be to noticeable in the lab.

Marks huffed and pointed to one of the work benches. "Prepare those ingredients and then bring them to me, quickly Mr Snape."

Ignoring his empty stomach, Severus set to grinding the flowers into a paste. He thought he got away with the potions smell until he delivered the paste to Marks. The man's nose twitched and his eyes narrowed before Severus was pinned to the ground with a glare.

"Flobberworm … I distinctly smell flobberworm on your person Mr Snape. Are you studying potions somewhere?"

Nodding slowly, Severus watched the man intently, hoping that he wasn't about to lose this position. "You are a Wizard? Perhaps a Potions Master, Mr Marks?"

Hazel eyes shot over towards the lab door before a thin wand appeared out of the man's sleeve. A few flicks later, and the room was secure. "I am both. You must have completed Hogwarts by your age, so that leads me to believe you are studying to be a Potions Master yourself. Is this correct?"

Severus nodded, knowing that his time here was now measured in minutes, and his entire Mastery was in jeopardy. All it would take was Master Marks reporting that he was working while learning and that would be that.

"Just how close are you to achieving your mastery?" Marks leaned against the counter waiting much like he did the first day he hired Severus.

"I have about a year left. It depends on how I did on my assessment with Master Eccles this afternoon." He had thought about holding back his master's name, but knew it wouldn't matter anyway.

The edges of Marks' lips curled up. "That close. Why are you working? The last I heard it wasn't allowed."

Severus sat the flower paste down and turned towards the door. He didn't answer until his hand was upon the knob. "I have to pay the bills somehow and eat. I would be obliged if you didn't tell them, but do as you have to."

Twisting the handle, he stepped out the door only to be stopped by Marks barked order.

"Get back here Snape. I have not fired you and you have work to do."

Stepping back through, Severus shut the door softly behind him while searching the older man's face. "Why?"

"Why am I not firing you? It is hard to get help that understands what I am talking about." Marks gestured towards the ingredients sitting on the bench. "Why am I not reporting you? Because bills have to be paid before anything else, and you show talent."

Severus went back to preparing the ingredients and cleaning the work benches. At the end of the evening, Marks stopped him before he could head out.

"Get here as early in the afternoon as you can. Come in your robe and bring your potions gear. I know you have to have your wand. I brew in the early afternoon, but you can use the time to get things done for the evening so you can head home earlier. Also, if you have to study for an assessment let me know and tell me the day you are taking them so I know where you are."

"Yes, sir."

"Get out of here and get some rest."

§§§§

"You want me to brew what?" Severus stared at the Potions Master. He had come to respect Marks skills since he witnessed the man brewing. Add in the teaching that accompanied those brewing times, and Severus tried and failed to understand why he was making scents for a living in the Muggle World.

"I need you to brew the scents for the evening. I know you are capable of handling them. I had a rush order come in for a large batch of Veela Aphrodisiacs. Since this is a restricted potion, I won't ask you to brew it, but you can study how it is done while you work on the simple concoctions that are on tonight's orders." He nodded towards the far bench. "That is where I will be working. This is a sensitive potion, do be very careful tonight."

"Yes, sir." Severus flipped the notebook open and began on the recipes that he had only partially helped with up to that point feeling as if he was taking an exam. Only it was worse since they were going out to patrons, not just being scored.

That was the first of many evenings that Severus handled the store side of the brewing while Marks took care of potions orders.

A month before his mastery assessment, Severus stared at Marks again. "You want me to brew this entire list." He held the paper in his hand, the potions list scrawled out in pencil. "Why? I know you don't sale these."

"Because they are on your exam. I'll figure out something to do with them if they are brewed to the quality I expect." He pointed to Severus' usual workbench. "Get started, you barely have time to finish them. Tomorrow don't complain."

Nodding, Severus started, wondering if he was going to be able to do as well as the man expected.

The next evening brought a new list, and several questions were asked of him as he stirred or waited while the cauldrons simmered. The following evening brought more of the same.

The fourth night, Marks studied him for a long moment before sighing. "You will achieve your potions license, I have no doubt about it, but to achieve your Mastery, you need to prove that you can Master a Potion. You must either significantly improve an existing potion or develop one on your own. Has Master Eccles warned you about this?"

Severus nodded. "He has made mention of it, but he didn't tell us when or how we are to do this. The exams are in three weeks."

"The Mastery Board will allow you to choose which you would like to do, create or improve, during your assessment. You will then assigned a lab and an allotment of time to complete this. Have you given any thought to your preference?"

"I'd prefer to create, but improving maybe the simpler route."

Marks shook his head. "You are not one to take a simple route. Create. It will have to be something that does not need much testing, will not harm anyone, and can easily be brewed in one day. It does not have to be Earth shatteringly great, just something that has not be created before. Start thinking about it while you are brewing the perfumes for tomorrow."

Nodding, Severus started working.

§§§§

"You seemed to be working well at _Madams' and Messieurs',_ son." Tobias sat breakfast on the table as he watched Severus attempt to read a book and fix his tea at the same time.

"I am, Dad. Mr Marks … don't spread this about, but Mr Marks is a Potions Master. He discovered that I was in training and didn't oust me to the guild. Instead he has be training me while working on the scents for the store." Severus looked over his book and met his dad's surprised look. "I don't know why he is working here, but I am seriously considering seeing if I can stay on once I've got my Mastery. Things are getting ugly in the Wizarding World. A war is breaking out, and I want no part of it."

"Not even if they ask you to brew potions for them?"

"Maybe that, but it will cost them."

§§§§

"Severus Snape." The elderly Master scanned the line of hopefuls before he found the one that fit the description given to him by Master Eccles. "You wish to test for your Potion License and Mastery today. Is that so?"

"It is, sir." Severus held his hands stiffly by his side to keep from clasping them together nervously.

"For your Mastery do you wish to improve a current potion or create a new one?"

"Create."

"Then step into the door on the right and you shall receive your directions." The Master gestured towards the door that few went through.

Severus crossed the room and entered the narrow hallway. There he was met by an even older Master.

"I'm Master Birds and I'm to be your examiner. State your name and Master." The words were almost indistinguishable, but luckily Severus' dad's accent was very similar.

"Severus Snape. I studied under Master Eccles." Marks had forbidden him from mentioning him.

"In here, Mr Snape." Birds followed him into the small lab room and settled on a tall stool. Holding out a parchment scroll, he narrowed his eyes slightly. "You've five hours to create the potions on this list. Then, after a lunch break, you'll begin your new one."

Severus took the parchment from him and scanned over the lists. It took only half a moment to realize that it was exactly the same list that Marks had him brew the second evening of lists. Setting the parchment down in an easy to see but hard to disturb spot, Severus started.

Cauldrons were lined up in the order of the potions on the sheet. Ingredients were gathered and prepared as needed. Moving from spot to spot, tool to tool, he worked his way through the list. It was as he was bottling the last of the second batch of cauldrons that Master Birds started questioning him. The answers were not simple, but Severus found it easier to explain them out loud than to write them down.

Lunch was communal, but the conversation was at a minimal. Severus was inside his own head, plotting out his potion. The evening after Marks had told him that he would have to brew his new potion here, he started figuring out what he wanted to make. It was Dad that gave him an idea over breakfast. Looking at the multitude of old scars and new forming ones on the hands that clasped the tea mug caused him to scour all his books for a potion to minimize their formation. Not finding anything, he then researched how scars were formed and already established ways of minimizing them. Armed with that knowledge, he mentally developed his potion. Today was the day to find out if it worked.

The silence was broken by an announcement. "Lunch is over. Report to your testing labs."

Cleaning his space, Severus headed back to the small room and nodded a greeting towards Master Birds. Then, taking a steadying breath, he began.

Two cauldrons were set out, Flobberworm mucus added to one, Bubotuber pus added to the other. Into the Bubotuber pus cauldron he added the oils from sandalwood, lavender, rose, and frankincense. Stirring together for one minute, he lit a low flame underneath and let it simmer. The Flobberworm mucus cauldron had other ingredients known to smooth and invigorate skin added to it. Once the two had stewed for thirty minutes, he slowly added the Bubotuber pus mixture to the Flobberworm mucus cauldron. Stirring slowly, careful not to splash the potion, he slowly lowered the flame underneath the cauldron.

Severus stared at the pale yellow liquid as it cooled, hoping it would work. Pulling out a small group of salve containers, he carefully filled them.

"What is this potion supposed to do, Mr Snape?" Master Birds held his quill, ready to record the answers.

"Reduce scars, old and new. Old ones will take longer, but new ones should not take but a moment or two." Severus touched the side of one of the jars, testing the temperature as he answered.

"Are you willing to test this?" Birds leaned forward, his interest caught. He had seen many Masters attempt a scar reducing potion, but this one was unique in both the methodology and ingredients.

"Once they've cooled, yes." Fanning them gently, he watched as the closer ones solidified.

"Why not just spell them cold?"

"That would cause the oils inside to separate from the solution, rendering it ineffective."

Jotting his notes down, Birds waited. They had plenty of time.

Thirty minutes later, Severus handed Birds a cooled container. He studied the consistency, the odour, and the colour before making notes.

"Do you have a new scar to try this on?" He raised an eyebrow when Snape nodded yes.

Turning his hand over, he indicated a scar on his palm. "A knife slipped yesterday."

Birds peered at it and tried to wipe it away. Satisfied, he scooped a bit of the potion onto his fingers and smeared it onto the scar. Both of them watched as the line faded slowly away.

Looking back at his fingers, Birds smiled. He had intentionally used those fingers, they were heavily scarred with a mixture of new and old ones. The new ones were gone and the old ones were fading before his eyes. "Well done, Master Snape."

Severus' head shot up at the title.

"Yes, you have passed. Now, jot the formula and the procedure down for the potion, name it and turn it in to me. Once you have done that, you are free to leave."

That evening, Marks and Dad took him out for dinner to celebrate his new status.

§§§§

"You can't hide forever, Severus." Lucius Malfoy leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "The Dark Lord has heard of your Mastery test and is very interested in you. He insists that you join him, and will not take no for an answer."

Severus leaned back, putting space between the two of them, while wishing the lab was working that evening. He didn't think the Dark Lord paid attention to Mastery test rankings, or he might have messed up parts intentionally. Instead he ranked near the top of the list, and given his behaviour while in Hogwarts, he was now being actively recruited to a cause he didn't wish to join. "I am the wrong blood status for him. You know that I am a half-blood."

"He believes that your Prince blood is showing through enough to discount your filthy Muggle blood." Lucius watched to see Severus reaction to the statement. Pride would show that he had him. Anything else was unacceptable.

Severus pressed his lips together and fought the frown that was wanting to form on his face. The insult of his dad was hard not to comment on after all he had done for him. "I do not feel worthy still."

"If you do not come willingly, he will hunt you down and if anyone gets hurt while he does, it is on your hands, you've been warned." Standing up, the blond looked down his nose at the Severus. "You have until tomorrow to have made your decision."

§§§§

Tobias glared at the table, his mind whirling about attempting to come up with a solution. "You can go over seas, or maybe just across the channel. Or ask Dumbledore to give you a position at the school. It should be very well protected there. Though, I worry about the summers then."

"I don't want to leave you here alone, Dad." Severus searched the face across the table from him. "I don't want to run and hide."

"From what you tell me, this man can find you if he wants. You've got to go somewhere – if you stay they will find Marks, too. Dumbledore is the best answer if you wish to stay here. I personally think you should see if there is another branch of _Madams' and Messieurs'_ in France or Germany."

"I'll ask." Severus headed out the door, wishing he could stay near, but knowing he could not put those he loved in danger.

§§§§

Tobias William closed the door of his lab, locking it to keep out the nosy Muggles that worked here with him. Walking out of the building, he watched the starlight glint off the wet streets as he walked home. It was two years since Malfoy's threat and Severus was slowly becoming used to the bustling city of Cardiff. He was still in the UK, in the South of Wales to be precise, but he, Marks, and his Dad had worked together to hide him. Marks sent him there to run the lab at this branch of _Madams' and Messieurs',_ that was when Severus learned that Marks was the owner of the store. Dad helped sort out the paperwork for the flat and him and his buddies helped move Severus in. Severus went back to being called Tobias William. No one in the area had a clue who Severus Snape was.

Making it to his flat which was close enough to the Wizarding section of Cardiff that his spells were never paid attention to, he quickly opened the door and slipped in after picking up the evening post off the floor. Sorting it between bills, letters, and rubbish, he stopped at a letter from Lily.

Everything was written in Dad's handwriting and the return address was the one where Lily grew up. Opening the envelope, he pulled a second one out. Lily obviously posted through the Muggle post since it had postage on it and was in a Muggle envelope. Hoping that was enough not to let the Dark Lord find Dad, he opened and quickly scanned a letter he never thought to receive; their falling out during the OWLs was spectacular and well known.

As he reached the end, he pulled a piece of paper to him and replied – he was more than happy to be her secret keeper.

 


End file.
